ACCIDENT OR NEGLIGENCE?

NZ Truth, Issue 76, 1 December 1906, Page 3

ACCIDENT OR NEGLIGENCE?

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —lt is now little more than a month since 'all New Zealand vyas horrified at the news of a boating disaster at Blenheim, m which nine persons were drowned, and it was ohlv a few days ago that one of the passen~ers on the 'fatal / trip succumbed to what ,is considered to ha^e f , been shock. $t the'; inquest on the- nine victims tn'e 'jury" brought m a verdict in' accordance with the evidence— that the accident had been caused by the Maritana striking a stump, and that no one was to blame. Therefore it is m the interests of those chiefly concerned that we ask the following pertinent questions, which ' Have cropped up, consequent on the many rumours now circulating m Blenheim. 1. Has it been definitely ascertained that there is a stump m the exact place where the Maritana struck? 2. Is it true that a child who went over the side was a*ble to walk ashore ? 3. Was the steersman giving his sole attention to the steering, or was he ensraped m conversation at the time the boat struck ? and also 4. If the boat had contained ballast (as she should have done) would the accident have happened ?— Yours etc, . "SAN TOY."